Cohoes Public Library : Rebuilding Connection with the Cities Youth
Raymond LeMay III : Director at the Cohoes Public Library | Image: Provided Please state your name, educational and/or experiential background and what your current title and job description is. My name is Raymond LeMay III. I serve as Library Director at the Cohoes Public Library. Previous to the Library I was a substitute teacher…
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Troy Library : Resisting False Narratives to Build Community Bridges
Laurie Dreyer : Branch Manager & Outreach Coordinator at Troy Public Library | Image: Provided Please state your name, educational and/or experiential background and what your current title and job description is. My name is Laurie Dreyer and I am the Branch Manager and Outreach Coordinator for the Troy Public Library. I graduated with a…
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Kinderhook Memorial Library : Finding New Ways to Deliver on It’s Mission
Meet Bookmoblimp : Kinderhook Memorial Library Finding New Ways to Deliver on It’s Mission Image: Provided Please state your name, educational and/or experiential background and what your current title and job description is. My name is Matt Pavloff, and I am the current Director of the Kinderhook Memorial Library. I started in Kinderhook as a…
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PINT SIZED and NO FUN: A Tale of 3 Cities with Entrepreneur August Rosa
Having been to several shows at August Rosa’s most recent venue, (including Hand Habits, Tiawan based Mong Tong, the Algonquin Pow Wow Medicine Singers with Yonatan Gat, and then there was that cool ass DAEDELUS show) it always impresses me the incredible variety of all types of music that can be experienced there. I was…
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Write This Way : A Conversation w/ SONG CITY’s Scott Womer
About two years ago, I started seeing and hearing about something called Song City. The branding was tight, it felt like something important was happening. Eventually, I realized that it was in fact a local phenom. These shows, upstairs at the RUCK have a very organic feel. Played in a round, musicians all interacting with…
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Taliesin Thomas is Mixin’ It Up : International Gravitas Blends with a Passion for Upstate
I first met Taliesin Thomas at one of my side projects, ARTS BAR, a pop up cocktail bar at the Arts Center in Troy. She was rolling with Ali Herrmann, a Troy based mixed media artist that night. TT is larger than life and unforgettable. Since that fateful meet we have spent many late nights…
Bryan Hamill’s CIRCUS : DIY Print Space Seeks Mission Oriented Partnership
I first heard of Bryan Hamill at a meeting with Michelle Toch Dinsmore at Overit Media. We were planning the kick off of the rebranded First Friday in Albany last year. Part of the initial rollout was a FF show at her space including Abe Farraro and this “cool guy super connected guy doing amazing…
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Albany’s Newest Secret Sauce : Diane Eber on ‘Hatching the EGG’
After an exhaustive search, a new Executive Director has joined The EGG in Albany, New York. Diane Eber is fun, energized, no nonsense and ready to honor that legacy while moving it forward for a new paradigm, in a new time.
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All the Good, All the Time : at Made X Hudson : Sustainability is More Than Just Fashionable
Very cool things are afoot in the sustainable fashion scene in Catskill New York…as you shall see. I introduce to you, Hudson X Space.
From Corporate Banking to Creative Economy : Creating a Space for Community & Commerce
Last Month I was in Sand Lake for an appointment at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. Looking for a coffee after I was directed to the Sand Lake Merchant across the street where I was happily surprised to see a thriving creative economy outpost and collaborative business model. I took a few minutes…
Re-Energizing Our Regional Foundations with the Hart Cluett and Burden Iron Works
I have been thinking a lot lately about the current state of our arts and cultural institutions and the challenges they face. Staffing in general but specifically leadership is a major problem. That coupled with the ever changing dictates and expectations of a fluid society increasingly distracted by technology. There is a real demand to…
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The Fish Market Project : Creativity Outside the City Center Update with D. Colin
Poet, artist, performer, curator and activist D. Colin wears many hats. Over the last year she has donned a newer one to add to her collection as Curator and Program Director at the Fish Market Project in North Central Troy, a satellite of the Arts Center of the Capital Region. As she wraps up the…
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Caffé Lena’s Sarah Craig Activates the Power of Music to Heal Community…Literally
I have been a big fan of Sarah Craig for a long time. Several years ago, I was producing an annual music series in Saratoga for Universal Preservation Hall. The second year in, I reached out to Sarah to co-create the 2015 season. The idea was to have a feel good moment with some inter-institutional…
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Video Game Composer Tommy Talarico Joins Forces with the ASO for VIDEO GAMES LIVE!
I played a lot of video games in high school. The arcade at lunch (Gauntlet and Galaga were my favorites) followed by the couch at my best friend Dustin’s house after school (Laser Gates on the Atari). My how things have progressed. This issue we catch up with a gentleman who has been helping that…
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Marvel Writer Ryan Little on Deck for First Annual 1UpState Gaming Conference
You may have noticed that at ACE! we like to cover writers. This month is a special treat as I got to chat a bit about what it’s like to be in the universe of comics and film with Ryan Little who works on a couple of different series for Marvel Studios. Ryan will be…
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Leigh Wen : International Provenance, Local Roots
The first memory I have of meeting Leigh Wen was at an Albany Center Gallery gala held in the amazing Union Station building in downtown Albany. She had a live auction piece that went for I believe a couple thousand dollars. (I picked up an Averill Greene painting that same night and regretfully, missed out…
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AVERY STEMPEL ON THINGS MYCOLOGICAL AND SUPPORTING UNBRIDLED CREATIVITY
I first encountered Avery about 10 years ago at a poetry reading event produced by a mutual friend, Maria Diotte of Bliss Arts at the old Fulton Street Gallery in Troy. He was hard to forget, a dynamic performance artist with a heart of gold. Impressively, he has found a way to combine all things…
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TIFFANY SORICELLI HAS A MISSION : #NOMORESTARVINGARTISTS
Tiffany reached out to me last year to meet up and talk about ACE! Like many folks I connect with these days she wanted to know more about the mission and how she could pitch in and help. A lifelong singer and seasoned NFP navigator, (Also a 2022 40 Under 40 Alum) Tiffany is now…
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Marion Roach Smith : International Author Cultivates a Crop of Creative Success
Last month I received the most wonderful surprise in my email inbox. It opened saying, “Corey, many thanks for the vibrant newsletter bringing me up to date on ACE. Nicely done!” It continued, “If there is a place for my expertise through ACE, I’d be glad to share it.” This was followed up by an offer to…
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Olivia Clemente : Synergizing Community One Event at a Time
I met Olivia in person earlier this year as I needed to coordinate with her for a series of events that I am producing in Franklin Alley in downtown Troy and wanted to coordinate with the BID. Personable and energized, I was excited about doing some joint promotion with her. Then came Troy’s first annual…
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Albany Artisans : A Philosophical Approach to Restoration
It all began when I started seeing an unrecognized acorn logo and cool images of remodels and restoration work in amazing historic buildings. I think the Instagram algorithm recommended Albany Artisans to me due to my connection with Kelsea Adams (Currently a Project Manager for the firm), a previous Electric City Couture alum. So…I had…
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(AI) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PART II OF III | AI NOW : Expert Perspectives
This 3-part series on the expanding prevalence of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) considers this topic with respect to art and the creative economies in our region and beyond. Our first installment (I of III) explored the basic definitions of A.I. to set the stage for discussion. In this second segment, we hear from local professionals who…
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Joyce Brewer : Building New Collaborations on a Rich Foundation of Past Heritage
I met Joyce Brower at this months 2023 NY Museum Association Conference in Syracuse. (Thanks for the invite Erika Sanger!) I was quickly enthralled by the interesting tapestry of organizational collaborations she was weaving into the fabric of an upcoming event she introduced me to. The ‘2023 Hoosick History and Heritage Fair’ is a regional…
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Albany’s 1st Friday : A Reminiscence and New Beginnings
I found myself on the streets of Albany, literally. After going through some intense personal life changing events, I was struggling to craft a new identity. One that was less corporate, less structured. More creative, rebellious. I was attracted to Arts and Culture and had begun volunteering my time consulting for the Albany Center Gallery…
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The Museum Association of New York : The Tie That Binds – A Conversation with Erika Sanger
I met Erika Sanger of the Museum Association of NY in the halls of the Arts Center of the Capital Region where they are currently based. Her light hearted and positive energy captured me. I have been wanting to meet up to learn more and see if there was any way that ACE! could play…
A.I. : What It Is and Why You Should Care | PART I OF III
Powerful Artificial Intelligence engines like Chat GPT4 and Midjourney v5 are quickly moving into the mainstream. This 3-part series on the expanding prevalence of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) will consider the topic with respect to art and the creative economies in our region and beyond. In this opening segment, Taliesin Thomas PhD explores the basic definitions…
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518 Film Network : Connecting the Dots for Regional Film Producers
I originally met some of the members who later would form 518 Film through ACE! events and socially in downtown Troy New York. They registered strongly on my radar as an organizational force to be reckoned with last year when ACE! partnered up to amplify ‘The Monkey Short Film Fundraising Gala’ in Albany New York.…
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AND Casting : Lining Up Extras for Commercial and Film Based Projects
A hard working and industrious professional who seemingly makes extras appear out of thin air, Annie’s company AND Casting is the go to for background casting for feature films and commercials in the Upstate New York region. I first met her when I was producing regional fashion shows in Saratoga with one of my side…
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SAVE THE DATE: Film Industry Networking Event! 03/11/23
Join us as ACE! partners up with Saratoga Arts for a film industry networking event!
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STEAM + A = Creative Activism : A Conversation with Kristen Holler
I first met Kristen Holler in her role at the Albany Barn. I have had the opportunity to work with her on projects there and in Schenectady at the Electric City Barn involving ACE! and my own production work with my company 2440 Design Studio. So when I was included on an email from Steve…
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FREE TICKETS to the Grammy Nominated Danish String Quartet!*
The Danish String Quartet | Photo: Provided This month we are partnering with the Friends of Chamber Music of Troy to make available a block of tickets to a rare Capital Region performance by the Grammy nominated Danish String Quartet. Availability is first come first serve and limited so jump on this ASAP if your…
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Community Based Design Aspirations : The Albany Riverfront Collaborative
I was approached about the ‘Albany Riverfront Collaborative’ by an architect friend, Scott Townsend of SWBR. He reached out to me asking if I was aware of the project and wondering if ACE! would be interested in playing a role in the growing chorus of voices that have an interest in participatory collaboration on what…
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Joseph is Doling Out $510K in Statewide Community Regrant Funds : Find Out How to Get Yours
ACE! connected with Joseph Mastroianni (Vice President of Programming / Statewide Community Regrants Coordinator) of the Arts Center of the Capital Region to find out more about the large pot of money that is being made available to artists and non profits in a two phase round of funding awards. Read on below to find…
Made in America : Tech Valley Center of Gravity Provides Makers a Space to Learn and Grow
Having done several projects with COG over the years it was an exciting surprise to see the amazing new offerings that the facility developed since the pandemic. In a recent tour after a long hiatus, I was literally blown away by the level of professional equipment, variety of applications and the on-sight expertise available in…
Creating Upstate : 5 Questions for 5 Capital Region Creatives
I asked the same five questions to five different creatives in an attempt to understand exactly why they’ve decided to plant a flag in the Capital Region’s Creative Economy. We tapped in with Screen Printers, Pizza Makers, Brand Developers and Social Media Entrepreneurs. Each person brings in their own unique ingredient helping us to write…
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Street Art / Graffiti as Gravity : Part III of III | Art and Community – From Local to Global
In this 3-part series on the dynamic qualities of murals, street art, and graffiti—as both symbols of cultural consciousness and cultural commodities in their own right—we highlight these genres as viable assets within the regional and global creative economies of today. In the FIRST SEGMENT, the author shares a townie perspective on the arts scene…
FREE TICKETS to the Albany Symphony’s ‘Classics for the Holidays’
We partnered up with the multiple Grammy winning Albany Symphony Orchestra and are making available a block of FREE TICKETS (a $65 value each!) to the annual holiday extravaganza ‘Classics for the Holidays’ performance! Availability is first come first serve so jump on this asap if your interested. There is a two tickets per person…
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Saratoga Sounds Under ‘Acoustic Clouds’ : Re-envisioning the Arthur Zankel Music Center
The Zankel Music Center on the Skidmore College Campus opened in 2010. The 54,000 sq-ft facility features the 600-seat, acoustically brilliant Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall. In addition, the building also houses a 100-seat lecture and recital hall, rehearsal and practice rooms, and the Skidmore Music Department. It’s not uncommon to walk into Zankel and…
5 Questions with Community Arts Leader Louise Kerr
1) Please state your name, what organization you represent and your role in that organization. My name is Louise Kerr and I am currently the Executive Director at Saratoga Arts in Saratoga Springs, NY. 2) What is the organization’s core mission and who are you primarily serving in the execution of that mission? Saratoga Arts’…
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Opalka Gallery Pop Up Beer Garden and Neighborhood Block Party
Join us for the opening event of our 4th Annual 2022 Pop Up! Beer Garden and Neighborhood Block Party series at the Opalka Gallery in Albany, NY.
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A Day ‘AroundAlbany’
Albany is the capital of New York State, and contrary to popular belief – it does NOT suck!
5 Places You Don’t Know to See a Show
The underground scene in Capital Region NY is thriving. What is being curated amongst these venue’s and creative’s is unheard of and absolutely beautiful.
Building on Strength : A Conversation with Glens Falls Mayor Bill Collins
From your perspective, why are Creative Economy components (artisan restaurants, arts and cultural institutions, performance space, etc) so important to a vibrant city scape? Over the last decade, even during the height of the pandemic, we experienced people moving to the region. As the pandemic has shown us, the Creative Economy is a powerful, sustaining…
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Glens Falls : A Winning Team Sharing Secrets to Success
Creative collaboration is happening in the City of Glens Falls New York where business and the arts are joining together to create new momentum.
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CAP NY ACTIVATE! : 3 ARTS AND CULTURAL FESTIVALS FOR FAMILY FUN
Summer time for me as a child, meant practically living outdoors until school started. We played outside for hours with friends, our parents took us on picnics and hikes… but our favorite was going to festivals. As an adult, I love festivals even more than I did as a child, and my own children love…
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Street Art / Graffiti as Gravity – Part II of III : Cities with ‘Speak Art’ Vibes
Taliesin considers another angle of local art initiatives – the financial side of the equation.
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Glens Falls Arts / Business District Street Fest and Creative Economy Panel Discussion
When: August 18 from 5:00 to 8:00 (Panel Discussion Beginning at 6:45)Where: The Park Theater | 14 Park Street | Glens Falls, NY Event is open and FREE to the public. TO RSVP CLICK HERE Join us for an ACE! sponsored Glens Falls Arts District Street Festival. This will be in Glens Falls (GF) at…
Finding the Formula : A Conversation with Chet Opalka
My first memory of engaging directly with Chet was at an Ellen Sinopoli Gala Event. That particular year it was located on the Russell Sage Campus in Troy at the Bush Memorial Hall. Making a bold play to be dapper I had chosen a bow tie, the kind you have to actually tie yourself. Having…
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CAP NY ACTIVATE : 5 Family Owned & Operated Drive In Movie Theaters
Before there was cable TV and the internet (my own kids can’t imagine such a primitive time) families went out together to enjoy a movie in a car, packed full of kids. Sometimes the neighbor’s kids were mixed in the bunch too. I remember being about 8 years old, and walking to the drive-in movie…
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Putting the Economy in Creativity – A Conversation with Maureen Sager
I met Maureen while I was in Saratoga producing a sustainable fashion event in 2015. She took an interest in me and invited me out for drinks to talk about potential projects we could work on together. I will never forget how passionate she was about collaboration and the need for creatives to get proper…
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CAP NY ACTIVATE : 5 Family Friendly Museums You Must Visit This Summer
As a mother of three children, my boys have always been curious individuals. My middle son is autistic and mentally disabled. Finding family friendly places to take my children that were fun, engaging, and interactive… but also educational and inspiring… was absolutely a challenge with school aged kids and one with special needs. When my…
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CAP NY ACTIVATE! : Destination Washington County
I remember being invited to a friend’s bonfire a little over 25 years ago. She had told me it was at her parents house in Shushan, NY. I’m not originally from New York, so I had never even heard of that town before. I was living in Schenectady at the time. We didn’t have cell…
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Street Art / Graffiti as Gravity – Part I of III : A Townie Perspective
In this series, Street Art / Graffiti as Gravity: Part I of III “A Townie Perspective,” Troy based contemporary arts doyen Taliesin Thomas delves into the increasingly omnipresent street art and graffiti in the City of Troy New York and how it is changing the public landscape of a rapidly growing and diverse community. In…
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SALEM ART WORKS : A Conversation with Pearl Cafritz – Executive Director
Salem Arts Works in Washington County is expanding its program and workshop offerings. ACE! got the updates from Executive Director Pearl Cafritz.
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SAVE THE DATE FOR THE FIRST 2022 ACE CREATIVE NETWORKING EVENT!
POST EVENT EDITORS NOTE: Thanks to all who attended. We had a great showing and a vibrant evening of networking, play and best practice sharing. So fun in fact we ran over until around 8:30! Make sure you on the newsletter for announcements of upcoming ACE! Creative Networking Events.##We are excited to announce the first…
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Innovative Placemaking Puts miSci on the Cutting Edge
COREY: Please state your name, title and what you do at miSci. How long have you been here? GINA: My name is Gina C. Gould and I have been the President of miSci for the past four years. Like most museum professionals, we all wear a lot of hats. In my role as president, I…
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CAP Region 5 : Independently Owned Authentic Korean Restaurants
It wasn’t that long ago in the Capital Region where you would either have to have a Korean friend or personally know a Korean family to enjoy Korean Food in Upstate NY. They’d invite you over for a sit down style family meal consisting of white rice, kimchi, and all of the other favored Korean…
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Rock Star Style with Hair Maven Molly Tremante
I met Molly several years ago after hearing continuously about her reputation as a hairstylist. At the time I was pretty involved in the upstate fashion scene through my sustainable fashion initiative Electric City Couture. Since then, I have had a number of projects that I was able to work with her on. One was…
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CAP Region 5: Vegan / Vegetarian Spotlight
Susie Davidson Powell | Food Writer and Times Union Dining Critic Special to the Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy The plant-based food industry has boomed in recent years with myco-protein chik’n and beet burgers that bleed, branded with names like Beyond and Impossible suggesting we’re scaling new heights. The pandemic only sharpened growth with…
The Authentic 518 Guide to Speakeasy Bars in the Capital Region
Ever find yourself in the mood for some swanky, jazzy vibes to transport you back a hundred years or so? Luckily for us, the Capital Region is home to some actual bootlegging legends (check out @bootleggerbungalow on Instagram, you won’t be disappointed). We’re also home to entrepreneurs who know just how to leverage our rich…
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Dishing Out the Deets with Susie Davidson Powell
Pretty sure I met Susie Davidson Powell while enjoying a glass of wine at The Confectionary in Troy a few years ago. Since then, I have had opportunity to hit the road with her and get a front row seat on what its like to enjoy the food life from the drivers seat…and also the…
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The Authentic 518: Old School Italian Restaurants
The Italian American community in New York City is as established and historic as the city itself. Luckily for us, many Italian Immigrants also ventured upstate to the Capital Region during the waves of European migration of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These communities quite literally built and shaped the cities we see…
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Clowning Around with CCIAC Executive Director Aaron Marquise
Just when you thought you knew everything about the 518… did you know that we’re on the brink of becoming one of world’s great homes for Clowndom? Aaron Marquise has worked internationally as a performer and clown, and now he’s working to bring the world — and its clowns — to the Capital Region. Read…
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Feeling the Music Go Through You – A Conversation with Sophia Subbayya Vastek
Memory is so unforgiving sometimes. As such, I don’t quite remember the first time I met Sophia Subbayya Vastek but I do remember somehow beginning to follow her on Instagram and WOW! She would post the most amazing performance snippets and honestly, I fell in love with her work. Then I find out she is…
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5 Fantastic Latin-Owned Restaurants: Angel’s Latin Restaurant, Catskill
Angel’s Latin Restaurant is a steam counter. For the uninitiated, steam counters are made of stainless steel, and hold steamy bins of hot food, set behind glass. You tell the server what you’d like to eat, and they’ll heap generous servings into containers for you to take home or eat in. Steam counters are common…
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ACE Culinary Road Trip: 5 Amazing Latin-Owned Restaurants!
Welcome to our celebration of Latin-owned restaurants in the Capital Region! Schenectady-based, Honduran-born artist Oscar Bogran and I explored a range of restaurants that are deeply inspired by Latin American heritage and culture. We tried things we’d NEVER dreamed of eating, and met amazing women who are running successful businesses and employing dozens of people.…
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5 Fantastic Latin-Owned Restaurants: Flores Family Restaurant, Schenectady
For our trip to Flores Family Restaurant, Oscar and I were joined by Lorraine Morales Cox, Associate Professor of Visual Art at Union College. Lorraine’s father is Puerto Rican, so she knows Latin food. And, we talked about the textures and insights we get when a restaurant is Latin-owned. Flores Family Restaurant is a bustling,…
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5 Fantastic Latin-Owned Restaurants: Empanada Llama, Albany
Maria Lloyd is the owner and creator of Empanada Llama, a terrific Peruvian restaurant on Delaware Avenue in Albany. Here, the empanada reigns supreme. There are seven different kinds of savory empanadas on the menu each day. Plus, you’ll find three sweet versions, like Banana Nutella and Apple Pie. And these empanadas are decidedly different…
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5 Fantastic Latin-Owned Restaurants: Oaxaquena Triqui, Albany
You’ll find the restaurant Oaxaquena Triqui in the back of the bodega of the same name — seven simple tables, with absolutely killer food. School girls in uniforms are doing their homework at one table, while their mother, Griselda, heads up a team of female cooks in the kitchen. Oaxaquena Triqui is bustling — the…
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5 Fantastic Latin-Owned Restaurants: Casa Latina Pupusas Y Mas, Hudson
At Casa Latina, everything — from the guajillo salsa to horchata (a sweet, cinnamon-flavored rice drink) to the soft, warm corn tortillas — is made on site. A few blocks off of swanky, expensive Warren Street, Casa Latina is an affordable oasis. There are four indoor tables, outdoor seating, and a parking lot (a rarity…
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Cutting to the Hilt – The Craft of Blademaker Jordan LaMothe
As sometimes happens, mid-summer I found myself in the middle of Averil Park, NY, sitting outside a yurt in front of a large, pallet-fueled fire pit with my good friends Chris and Josh. We were enjoying a little Japanese whiskey when someone I had not met before rolled up to the group. A quiet and…
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The Authentic 518: Charming Small Towns on the Outskirts
Centuries before automobiles emerged as the singular mode of transport, the Industrial Revolution exploded upward from its epicenter of Manhattan, through the waterways that carve the landscape of Upstate New York. As a result of this rapid expansion, mill towns popped up along the creeks and streams that branch from the Hudson River. Unlike many…
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Up Close and Personal with DJ HollyW8D
I caught up with DJ HollyW8D recently to check in on the current status of the underground social scene and find out a little more about what makes this former Brooklynite-come-Upstate man tick. I believe I first met him at an event Cory Nelson was throwing back in the Troy Kitchen days but this is…
The Authentic 518: Can’t-Miss Farms to Visit This Fall
Any Capital Region native knows that apple trees are as deeply rooted in our area’s history as they are in our soil. New York’s first known apple orchards were planted by Peter Stuyvestant in 1647 — long before New York was even a colony, let alone a state. Today, Upstate New York is a reigning…
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Saratoga’s Beekman Street Arts District – It’s a Vibe
When you think of Saratoga Springs, you probably picture horses and the bustling Broadway. You’re not wrong, but there is so much more to this adorable “city in the country.” One such place is the Beekman Street Arts District. Boasting some of the best restaurants and coolest shops in Saratoga, Beekman is still a bit…
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Beyond Khaos – The Art of Maxime Taccardi
I met Maxime Taccardi through a friend and started following him on social media. I was quickly blown away by his unapologetic exploration of the dark side of the human psyche and folklore. Well educated and with a voracious and substantial following, Maxime boasts collectors around the globe. I am thrilled to have him drop…
ACE Downloadable Apple Picking List
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ACE’s Ultimate Capital Region Apple Picking List
Want apples? We got em! With 25 places to pick your favorite type, there’s no better place to be in autumn than New York’s Capital Region. Lots of these places also have pumpkins, freshly made cider donuts, local products and more, so you can really get your Fall on. Want a downloadable version? Click here.…
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Six Capital Region Rural Farm Brewery Road Trips
Want to drink beer in a pastoral field, amidst trees ablaze in orange and red? These rural brewery road trips are adventures. Some of them are quite rural — you’ll see corners of the region that you’ve never ventured to before. We checked our GPS on almost every trip, because we were sure we’d gotten…
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Want to Run a General Store Rennselaerville? Here’s Your Chance! Rent? $1/Month!
I am looking for someone that wants to run a small town grocery store, rent free! I have searched for 5 years to fill the local General store and my hope and the communities would be to find someone willing to take the risk, rent free! The fact is nothing has worked up to this…
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Five Fantastic Capital Region Wineries to Visit This Fall
Fall is a fabulous time to visit the Capital Region’s wineries. Drive the gorgeous rural routes and take in the scenery. And, you’ll be rewarded with seeing the makers in the throes of harvesting and making the 2021 vintage. It’s a thrilling yet tiring time at a winery, and they’ll appreciate your visit. Of course,…
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LIVING ONLINE SERIES: Judie Gilmore, Opalka Gallery
I recently connected with Judie Gilmore, Executive Director at the Opalka Gallery on the Russell Sage Campus in Albany. We met while working on the Breathing Lights Project, a massive, three-city public art exhibition that captivated the region in 2016. Not surprisingly, Judie continues to make things happen in a big way and has interesting…
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Hart Cluett Museum’s Starlyn D’Angelo
Hart Cluett Museum’s Executive Director Starlyn D’Angelo definitely likes a challenge! On March 30, 2021, she took on the head job at the Museum when it was unclear how the world would be moving forward. “I seem to work well when things are hard,” she said. Starlyn talked to ACE about how the Museum’s role…
5 Creative Side Hustlers You Need to Know About
In the last year COVID-19 has drastically altered the way we approach life and the ways in which we inhabit the world. For some it has made them more cautious, feeling the precarity of each passing moment. Others have become more appreciative of the present, embracing the opportunity to take an extended pause. Living in…
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Etrice Gallery Grand Opening Gallery
Etrice Gallery celebrated its Grand Opening on July 15th and it was a PARTY, to say the least. Read more about the gallery and its Founder, Davion Brink here. Location: Historic Kenmore Building76 North Pearl Street | Albany, NY 12207 PHOTO CREDIT: Justin Higgins To view the gallery, please click here!
Cafe Euphoria: A Trans- Worker Owned Community Space in Troy
I met up with the Cafe Euphoria team to hear about this exciting and groundbreaking space that is currently in development for downtown Troy, New York. Cafe Euphoria is a trans* worker owned and operated cafe / restaurant, curated thrift store, event and co-working space. CE’s aim is to cultivate a more gender-inclusive landscape in…
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LIVING ONLINE Series: Maria Brink, of In This Moment
I met up with rock star and friend Maria Brink this week to talk about the current status of the music industry and what it has been like to be in nationally touring, Grammy-nominated band over the last year. Not going to lie, as a hairband 80’s metal head, this one hit close to my…
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Etrice Gallery: Interview with Davion Brink
I caught up with Davion recently to get up to speed about his latest project, Etrice Gallery. I put together a killer fashion event showcasing some of his design work called SYNERGY in 2018 at LARK HALL in Albany with co-producers Maria Brink and Samson Contompasis that was the bomb. Now he’s back… Who are…
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LIVING ONLINE Series: Super Dark Collective
In the spirit of collaboration and best practice sharing, I thought it would be interesting to share perspectives from our fellow creatives to see how folks are getting along as we all craft new ways to practice our craft. For more on my LIVING ONLINE series, click here. For this installment, I met up with the…
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Behind the Scenes At “The Costumer”
In 2016, Erik and Bonnie Johnsen moved from Massachusetts and bought The Costumer, a 100-year-old, full-service costume and makeup business with locations in Albany and Schenectady. The Johnsen’s are passionate about the positive impact of scholastic theater! Read on as Bonnie takes us behind the scenes at this creative — and mission driven — business.…
5 Queer-Owned Creative Businesses
Meet five of the Capital Region’s most passionate and exciting creative businesses, run by Makers, Designers, Writers, Performers, and Culinary Connoisseurs. Each is bringing personal — and inclusive — perspectives to the creative economy in Upstate New York. Bold Strokes Books Humans seek stories to make sense of the world, which is why representation in…
Foreland: A Fantastic, New Arts Complex in Catskill
Along the Catskill Creek, on the site of a Civil War Era mill, sits the huge, new arts campus called Foreland. This completely renovated, artist-led, contemporary art complex is gearing up for a fantastic summer opening. The vision is to provide space, resources, and programs designed for artists, by artists. “We left no stone unturned,”…
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5 Sizzling Capital Region Summer Arts Experiences
After more than a year of being cooped up indoors, I’m ready to explore and experience everything the Capital Region has to offer — safely, of course. I’ve been spending all of my spring and summer weekends exploring the outdoors, hunting for public art and enjoying whatever arts scene I stumble upon and of course,…
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ACE Craft Beverage Spotlight: Left Bank Ciders, Catskill
Left Bank Ciders opened its doors on July 10th, 2021, which wasn’t an obvious time to start a brand new tap room business. But partners Tim Graham, his wife Anna Rosencranz, and their friend Dave Snyder, had an opportunity they couldn’t pass up. “The space was so good,” Graham said. “We just had to give…
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